Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of San Francisco, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what University of San Francisco, its conference, the state of California and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 23, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at San Francisco
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | The 2026-2027 Student-Athlete Handbook (posted 2026-10-18) section "Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Usage" says athletes in any sport may profit from NIL and lists contracts "still prohibited under the NIL legislation and University Policy": pay for work not performed, pay contingent on enrolling at a school, pay for athletic participation or achievement, use of the USF logo without prior written approval, and the banned categories. The 2023-24 Compliance Manual has the same list. A standalone USF NIL policy was not found | USF Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; USF Compliance Manual 2023-24 |
| How deals are disclosed | The 2026-27 handbook: "The University requires all student-athletes with NIL contracts to submit those within four days of the execution of the contract or agreement", and its conduct section lists "Failure to disclose and report NIL opportunities to the Associate AD for Compliance, the NCAA and NIL GO Platform" as a violation with potential penalties. The 2023-24 Compliance Manual says a signed copy goes with the disclosure form "within 4 days of the contract being signed". NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 add NIL Go for third-party deals of $600 or more within five business days; California § 67456(e)(2) has each contract disclosed to a school-designated official | USF Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; USF Compliance Manual 2023-24; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/california |
| Banned categories | California's statute lists none. USF's handbook bars "Agreements involving, promoting or relating to weapons, bars, nightclubs, cannabis, sports wagering, controlled substances, pornography, professional sports teams, and tobacco" | USF Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; /nil/college/california |
| School marks and group licensing | The handbook bars use of the USF logo "without prior written approval" (the compliance office handles approval), and an athlete who signs with an organization that conflicts with USF branding deals "(e.g. Nike or Coca-Cola)" cannot wear USF gear or use campus facilities for that endorsement. USF's 2024-01-31 agreement with The Hilltop Club gave the club an "Official license to utilize University of San Francisco marks and logos as part of student-athlete NIL initiatives". A group licensing program was not published | USF Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; USF Athletics, The Hilltop Club partnership (2024-01-31) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission lists USF as participating in 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-23). USF's Bridge to Excellence Funds (announced 2026-03-17) are "USF's centralized funds supporting student-athlete revenue share (compensation) and competitive excellence", with men's and women's basketball funds, a baseball fund added 2026-05-14, and gifts made directly to the university. The 2026-03-17 letter cited the earlier figure of up to $20.5 million a year. No USF breakdown of the money was published | College Sports Commission; USF Athletics, Bridge to Excellence Funds (2026-03-17) and baseball expansion (2026-05-14) |
| Collective or NIL group | No outside collective is current, by USF's account. The Hilltop Club, a standalone LLC founded by USF alumni, was introduced as "USF's NIL collective" (story dated 2023-01-03) and named USF's "Official NIL Fundraising Collective" on 2024-01-31. USF's 2026-03-17 letter says it "has brought these efforts fully in-house", thanks supporters who helped "during the transition to this new model through The Hilltop Club", and says "The university now directly enters agreements with student-athletes to license and commercialize their name, image, and likeness". Whether The Hilltop Club still operates was not confirmed | USF Athletics, The Hilltop Club stories (2023-01-03, 2024-01-31); Bridge to Excellence Funds (2026-03-17) |
| Agents and representation | USF's 2023-24 Compliance Manual agent policy says "the Associate AD for Compliance will verify that all athlete agents are registered with USF Athletics before an agent contacts a student-athlete" or signs a contract with one, and that agents notify the Compliance Office and head coach before contact. The policy is written for agents marketing athletic ability; no NIL-agent rule was found in the 2026-27 handbook. California § 67456(c)(2) requires athlete agents to be licensed under the Miller-Ayala Act | USF Compliance Manual 2023-24; /nil/college/california |
| Compliance contact | USF Athletics Compliance Office: Michael Cosgrove, Associate Athletics Director, Compliance, mcosgrove2@usfca.edu, as listed on the compliance page and in the 2026-27 handbook | USF Athletics, Compliance and Student-Athlete Affairs; USF Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27 |
| State law | In force. Cal. Educ. Code § 67456, the Fair Pay to Play Act (operative 2021-09-01), covers private universities such as USF, has athletes disclose each NIL contract to a school-designated official, requires agents to be licensed under the Miller-Ayala Act, and lists no banned categories | /nil/college/california |
What is specific to San Francisco
USF moved NIL from an alumni-founded collective to the university between 2023 and 2026. A USF Athletics letter dated 2023-01-03 introduced The Hilltop Club, an alumni LLC run by a sports marketing executive, noting that many appearance deals supported community service "given USF's Jesuit mission". In 2024 USF made it the official NIL fundraising collective, with a license to USF marks. By 2026-03-17 USF had brought the work in-house: the university signs NIL licensing agreements with athletes directly, paid for through Bridge to Excellence Funds for men's and women's basketball and, from 2026-05-14, baseball, with President Salvador Aceves quoted that "competitive excellence and Jesuit values go hand in hand". An anonymous donor committed $750,000 to the men's basketball fund (announced 2026-08-11). USF's written rules are short but current: a four-day contract submission rule in a handbook posted 2026-10-18, and a banned list that reaches professional sports teams, bars and nightclubs, which California's statute does not list.
How Leave fits
In Leave, every deal thread carries a rules summary for the athlete's state and level, and keeps the contract, its dates and the disclosure deadline that applies. It is a summary, not a ruling; the school and the law decide. Leave is software, not an agent, and takes 0% of any deal. You decide, you send.
Questions about NIL at San Francisco
Does the University of San Francisco pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission lists USF as a participating revenue-sharing school for 2026-27, with a cap of about $21.58 million per school. USF says it now signs NIL licensing agreements with athletes directly and funds revenue share through its Bridge to Excellence Funds. USF has not published how the money is divided.
How fast do USF Dons athletes have to report an NIL deal?
USF's 2026-27 handbook calls for NIL contracts to be submitted within four days of execution. NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 add NIL Go reporting within five business days for third-party deals of $600 or more, and the handbook lists failure to report to the compliance office, the NCAA and NIL Go as a violation.
What is The Hilltop Club at USF?
An alumni-founded LLC that USF introduced as its NIL collective (letter dated 2023-01-03) and named its official NIL fundraising collective in 2024. In March 2026 USF said it had brought NIL fully in-house and thanked supporters for their role "during the transition to this new model through The Hilltop Club". Its current status was not confirmed.
What can't USF athletes endorse?
The handbook bars NIL agreements involving, promoting or relating to weapons, bars, nightclubs, cannabis, sports wagering, controlled substances, pornography, professional sports teams and tobacco, and use of the USF logo without prior written approval.
Can USF athletes wear Dons gear in an NIL deal with a Nike competitor?
USF's handbook says an athlete who signs with an organization that conflicts with USF branding deals, giving Nike and Coca-Cola as examples, cannot wear USF gear or use campus facilities for that endorsement. Using the USF logo at all requires prior written approval.
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